Pubwic howidays in de United States are wargewy controwwed by private sector empwoyers, who empwoy approximatewy 62% of de totaw U.S. popuwation who are given paid time off. A typicaw work week is generawwy 40 hours a week wif a Saturday-Sunday weekend. Pubwic howidays wif paid time off is generawwy defined to occur on a day dat is widin de empwoyee's work week. When a howiday occurs on Saturday or Sunday, dat howiday is shifted to eider Friday or Monday. Most empwoyers fowwow a howiday scheduwe simiwar to de federaw howidays of de United States, wif exceptions or additions. The federaw howiday scheduwe mainwy benefits empwoyees of government and government reguwated businesses. However, dis sector onwy comprises 15% of de working popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. At de discretion of de empwoyer, oder non-federaw howidays such as Christmas Eve and de Day after Thanksgiving are common additions to de wist of paid howidays whiwe Cowumbus Day and Veterans Day are common omissions. Besides paid howidays are festivaw and food howidays dat awso have wide acceptance based on sawes of goods and services dat are typicawwy associated wif dat howiday. Hawwoween and Vawentine's Day are such exampwes of widewy cewebrated uncompensated howidays.

Pubwic howidays had deir origins from estabwished federaw howidays dat were enacted by Congress. They were typicawwy observed on days dat have significance for various sectors of American society and are observed at aww wevews of society incwuding government, de private sector, and are typicawwy derived from de history, rewigion and de cuwtures of de U.S. demographics and have changed over time. Observances of howidays are most commonwy observed wif paid time off, however, many howiday cewebrations are done wif festivities widout time off. Some are observed wif community work depending on de meaning of de howiday. They are however not mandated by any government, agencies, wheder it be federaw, state, or wocaw governments. There are no nationaw howidays on which aww businesses are cwosed by waw. Federaw howidays are onwy estabwished for certain federawwy chartered and reguwated businesses (such as federaw banks), and for Washington, D.C. Aww oder pubwic howidays are created by de States; most states awso awwow wocaw jurisdictions (cities, viwwages, etc.) to estabwish deir own wocaw howidays. As a resuwt, howidays have not historicawwy been governed at de federaw wevew and federaw waw does not govern business opening. Some states restrict some business activities on some howidays.[1] Business cwosures are mandated on some howidays in some states for certain kinds of businesses by Bwue Laws. For exampwe, some businesses cannot open on Thanksgiving Day in some New Engwand states if de businesses operated on more dan 5000 sqware feet of space. The most notabwe businesses to cwose on such occasions are car deawerships and estabwishments sewwing awcohow.

Whiwe aww current federaw howidays have awso been made pubwic howidays in aww 50 states for federaw organizations, each state is not bound to observe de howidays on de same dates as de federaw howidays. Many states awso have additionaw howidays dat are not observed by de U.S. federaw government.[4] Many businesses wikewise observe certain howidays as weww, which are awso not mandated by any government agency. A wist of "recommended diversity howidays" recognizes many cuwtures dat range from Christianity to Iswam, as weww as raciaw diversity where various ednic howidays such as St. Patrick's Day, Kwanzaa, Diwawi, Mardi Gras, and Cinco de Mayo are cewebrated by individuaws in de workpwace, as a matter of best practice.[5] In wight of recent race issues in de United States, many municipawities bof at de city and state wevews have begun cewebrating Mawcowm X Day and Rosa Parks Day in addition to Martin Luder King, Jr. Day to embrace de mostwy disenfranchised African American community in de form of festivaws and parades if not done as a wegaw pubwic howiday. Iwwinois and Berkewey, Cawifornia are two pwaces where Mawcowm X is honored wif a wegaw howiday wif offices cwosed whereas Missouri honored Rosa Parks on her birdday.[6][7] Today, de United States is de 85f most ednicawwy diverse country in de worwd. Whiwe de popuwarity of each pubwic howiday cannot easiwy be measured, de howiday wif de highest greeting card sawes is Christmas.[8] Major retaiw estabwishments such as mawws, shopping centers and most retaiw stores cwose onwy on Thanksgiving and Christmas and some on Easter Sunday as weww, but remain open on aww oder howidays (earwy cwosing on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and sometimes on oder major howidays).[9] Virtuawwy aww companies observe and cwose on de major howidays (New Year's Day, Memoriaw Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some non-retaiw business cwose on de day after Thanksgiving, whiwe some (such as federaw banks and post offices) are not awwowed to cwose on de day after Thanksgiving. Some smawwer businesses normawwy open on Sunday wiww cwose on Easter Sunday, if it is deir experience dey wiww have very few customers dat day.[10]

Christmas cewebrations are evidenced by decorations which give off wight and exchanging of gifts between famiwy members and friends. Most popuwar based on greeting card sawes. About 6.5 biwwion cards per year or $8 biwwion annuaw sawes.[16] Awso known for having de second highest church attendance.[17] Major symbows of dis howiday are de Christmas tree and Christmas music. Christmas is de cewebration of Jesus Christ's birf.

Hawwoween cewebrations are evidenced by chiwdren knocking door to door asking for treats, and costumed adowescents pwaying tricks on various househowds. Most popuwar based on candy sawes, amounting to $2.6 biwwion in 2015.[36] Sawes of $6.9 biwwion in 2015 incwudes candy, costumes, and pumpkin sawes, aww of which are directwy attributed to dis howiday.[37]

The wabor force in de United States comprises about 62% (as of 2014) of de generaw popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[46] In de United States, 97% of de private sector businesses determine what days dis sector of de popuwation gets paid time off, according to a study by de Society for Human Resource Management. The fowwowing howidays are observed by de majority of de U.S. businesses wif paid time off:

Honors Dr. Martin Luder King, Jr., civiw rights weader, who was actuawwy born on January 15, 1929; combined wif oder howidays in severaw states. Some cities and municipawities howd parades; and more recentwy, de 1994 King Howiday and Service Act, which was passed to encourage Americans to transform de King Howiday into a day of citizen action vowunteer service, has gained in popuwarity (sometimes referred to as a Nationaw Day of Service).

Washington's Birdday was first decwared a federaw howiday by an 1879 act of Congress. The Uniform Howidays Act, 1968, shifted de date of de commemoration of Washington's Birdday from February 22 to de dird Monday in February (between February 15 and 21, meaning de observed howiday never fawws on Washington's actuaw birdday). Because of dis, combined wif de fact dat President Lincown's birdday fawws on February 12, many peopwe now refer to dis howiday as "Presidents' Day" and consider it a day honoring aww American presidents. However, neider de Uniform Howidays Act nor any subseqwent waw changed de name of de howiday from Washington's Birdday to Presidents' Day.[56]

Cewebrates de signing of de Decwaration of Independence from British ruwe, awso cawwed de Fourf of Juwy or simpwy "The Fourf". Fireworks cewebration are hewd in many cities droughout de nation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Boston, Massachusetts is famous for its "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacuwar" wif music and fireworks

Honors Christopher Cowumbus, de first European to wand in mainwand Americas after Leif Erikson. In Berkewey, CA dis day is observed as Indigenous Peopwe's Day, in honor of de Native Americans who wived in de Americas wong before Cowumbus "discovered" de area.

Honors aww veterans of de United States armed forces. It is observed on November 11 to recaww de end of Worwd War I on dat date in 1918 (major hostiwities of Worwd War I were formawwy ended at de 11f hour (GMT +1) of de 11f day of de 11f monf of 1918 when de Armistice wif Germany went into effect).

Fort Lauderdawe Beach is a typicaw warm weader destination for students taking a spring break.

An academic year typicawwy spans from earwy faww to earwy summer, wif two or dree monds of summer vacation marking de end of year. K-12 pubwic schoows generawwy observe wocaw, state, and federaw howidays, pwus additionaw days off around Thanksgiving, de period from before Christmas untiw after New Year's Day, a spring break (usuawwy a week in Apriw) and sometimes a winter break (a week in February or March). Two or dree days per year are sometimes devoted to professionaw devewopment for teachers, and students have de day off.

Most cowweges and universities divide de schoow year into two semesters. The faww semester often begins de day after Labor Day in earwy September and runs untiw mid-December. The spring semester typicawwy starts in de middwe or end of January and runs untiw May. Winter and summer cwasses might be offered in January and May–August. Major federaw, state, and wocaw howidays are often observed, incwuding de day after and usuawwy before Thanksgiving. Spring break is usuawwy a week in March or earwy Apriw, and in cowwege party cuwture traditionawwy invowves a warm-weader trip.

The federaw government sector wabor force consisted of about 2,729,000 (as of 2014) of de totaw wabor force of 150,539,900, which is roughwy about 1.8% of de totaw wabor force or about 1.1% of de totaw popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. In addition, state and wocaw governments consist of anoder 19,134,000 bringing de U.S. totaw government sector empwoyees to about 15% of de totaw wabor force.[64] This sector of de popuwation is entitwed to paid time off designated as Federaw howidays by Congress in Titwe V of de United States Code (5 U.S.C.§ 6103). Bof federaw and state government empwoyees generawwy observe de same federaw howidays.

Legaw howidays by states and powiticaw divisions of de United States[edit]

In generaw, most state governments observe de same howidays dat de federaw government observes. However, whiwe dat is true for most states, every state incwudes and omits howidays to fit de cuwture rewevant to its popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Signed into waw in 1983, but not observed by aww states untiw 2000, wif Utah officiawwy observing as a paid state howiday. Wyoming was de first state to observe in 1990. Five states observe dis day using awternate name "Civiw Rights Day" or howiday is combined to awso honor Robert E. Lee.

Fworida's waws separatewy defines "paid howidays" versus "wegaw howidays", which does not have any obwigation to incwude as "paid howidays".

As of 2015, muwtipwe states observe Susan B. Andony Day. Fworida is de onwy state dat actuawwy observes de day as a wegaw howiday, dough state offices remain open, uh-hah-hah-hah. Currentwy, no federaw howiday honors a woman in de United States.

Texas waw designates dat de state businesses be "partiawwy staffed" on de fowwowing howidays. These howidays can be repwaced wif an optionaw howiday per de state empwoyee's choice, but wiww give up one of dese in wieu of de optionaw howiday.

Aww Friday howidays are cewebrated on Saturday and aww Monday howidays are cewebrated on Tuesday to account for de time zone difference wif de states. Weekday howidays such as Thanksgiving are cewebrated as dey faww.[100]

Wisconsin's pubwic schoows are obwigated to observe de 21 days designated by Wisconsin Statute section 118.02 on de designated day unwess de day fawws on Saturday or Sunday, in which case wouwd move de observance to eider de preceding Friday or fowwowing Monday. The statutes reqwire de pubwic schoows to incwude instruction rewating to de howidays. In dis wist of howidays, aww schoows remain open, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Whiwe most federaw howidays are observed at de state wevew, some of dese howidays are observed wif different names, are observed on different days, or compwetewy not observed in some states of de United States. ^ a. For exampwe, Martin Luder King, Jr. Day is known officiawwy as Martin Luder King, Jr./Civiw Rights Day in Arizona,[103] and New Hampshire,[104]Dr. Martin Luder King Jr. and Robert E. Lee's Birddays in Arkansas,[105]Birdday of Dr. Martin Luder King, Jr. in Fworida,[106] and Marywand,[107]Martin Luder King Jr. / Idaho Human Rights Day in Idaho,[108] and Martin Luder King's and Robert E. Lee's Birddays in Mississippi.[109]^ b. Washington's Birdday is known officiawwy as President's Day in Awaska,[110] Cawifornia,[111] Hawaii,[112] Idaho,[108] Marywand,[107] Nebraska,[113] New Hampshire,[104] Tennessee,[114] Washington,[115] West Virginia,[116] and Wyoming,[117]Washington-Lincown Day in Coworado (CRS 24-11-101),[118] Ohio,[119]Lincown/Washington/Presidents' Day in Arizona,[103]George Washington's Birdday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day in Arkansas,[105]Presidents' Day in Hawaii,[112] Massachusetts,[120] New Mexico,[121] Norf Dakota,[122] Okwahoma,[123] Souf Dakota,[124] Texas,[71] and Vermont,[125]Washington's Birdday/President's Day in Maine,[126]Presidents Day in Michigan,[127] Minnesota,[128] Nevada,[129] New Jersey,[130] and Oregon,[131]Lincown's and Washington's Birdday in Montana,[132]Washington and Lincown Day in Utah,[133] and George Washington Day in Virginia.[134]^ The day after Thanksgiving is observed in wieu of Cowumbus Day in Minnesota.[128]^ Cowumbus Day is wisted as a state howiday in New Hampshire awdough state offices remain open, uh-hah-hah-hah.[104]^ President's Day, Good Friday (11am-3pm), Juneteenf Day (June 19), Cowumbus Day, Veteran's Day, Partisan Primary Ewection Day, and Generaw Ewection Day are wisted as a state howiday in Wisconsin awdough state offices remain open, uh-hah-hah-hah.[135][136]

The rewigious and cuwturaw howidays in de United States is characterized by a diversity of rewigious bewiefs and practices. However, de First Amendment to de United States Constitution provides dat "Congress shaww make no waw respecting an estabwishment of rewigion, or prohibiting de free exercise dereof ...." and Articwe VI specifies dat "no rewigious Test shaww ever be reqwired as a Quawification to any Office or pubwic Trust under de United States." As a resuwt, various rewigious faids have fwourished, as weww as perished, in de United States. A majority of Americans report dat rewigion pways a "very important" rowe in deir wives, a proportion uniqwe among devewoped nations.[138]

The majority of Americans (73–80%) identify demsewves as Christians and about 15–20% have no rewigious affiwiation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[139] According to de American Rewigious Identification Survey (ARIS) (2008) 76% of de American aduwt popuwation identified demsewves as Christians, wif 51% professing attendance at a variety of churches dat couwd be considered Protestant or unaffiwiated, and 25% professing Cadowic bewiefs.[140] The same survey says dat oder rewigions (incwuding, for exampwe, Judaism, Buddhism, Iswam, and Hinduism) cowwectivewy make up about 4% of de aduwt popuwation, anoder 15% of de aduwt popuwation cwaim no rewigious affiwiation, and 5.2% said dey did not know, or dey refused to repwy. According to a 2012 survey by de Pew forum, 36 percent of Americans state dat dey attend services nearwy every week or more.[141]

According to de Nationaw Institutes of Heawf, about 86% of de U.S. popuwation over 18 drinks awcohow recreationawwy or sociawwy.[142] In de United States, de howidays dat are considered de most "festive" are generawwy regarded as some of de "most drunken howidays." Cewebrations usuawwy revowve around barbecues and beer. Awdough many of dese howiday wack any officiaw status, dese howidays are generawwy observed by de drinking cuwture for de fact dat dese howidays revowve around drinking. One measurement of de popuwarity of dese howidays can be measured by de amount of awcohow purchased for de occasion, uh-hah-hah-hah. One particuwar survey names New Years Eve as de howiday for which de most awcohow is consumed based on sawes.[143] Whiwe many howidays are wisted, some are generawwy notabwe for deir drinking reqwirement whiwe oders are known for abstinence.[144]

African Americans make up about 12% of de U.S. popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Whiwe some customs have come from abroad, many of de customs were devewoped inside de United States. Kwanzaa, for exampwe, is a custom has greatwy infwuenced American cuwture originating from de "turbuwent 60's" when race rewations in de United States was at its wowest.[147] Most of de newer howidays revowve around a particuwar civiw rights activist and have recentwy gained attention from city and state wevew governments. At de federaw wevew, onwy Martin Luder King, Jr. was honored.

Kwanzaa is a week-wong cewebration hewd in de United States and in oder nations of de Western African diaspora in de Americas. The cewebration honors African heritage in African-American cuwture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, cuwminating in a feast and gift-giving.[149] Kwanzaa has seven core principwes (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Mauwana Karenga, and was first cewebrated in 1966–67.

Martin Luder King, Jr. Day is de onwy American federaw howiday marking de birdday of an African American, uh-hah-hah-hah. It is observed on de dird Monday of January each year, which is around King's birdday, January 15.

Currentwy observed in de states of Cawifornia, Missouri, and Ohio to honor de wate civiw rights weader Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks Day was created by de Cawifornia State Legiswature and first cewebrated February 4, 2000.[150] The howiday was first designated in de U.S. state of Ohio championed by Joyce Beatty, advocate who hewped Ohio's wegiswation pass to honor de wate weader.[151] In 2015, Missouri has decwared Rosa Parks Day a wegaw howiday.

Juneteenf is a howiday dat commemorates de announcement of de abowition of swavery in Texas in June 1865, and more generawwy de emancipation of African-American swaves droughout de Confederate Souf. Cewebrated on June 19, de term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenf[152][153] and is recognized as a state howiday or speciaw day of observance in most states.

Wif 73% of de U.S. popuwation identifying demsewves as Christian, many howidays from de witurgicaw cawendar are observed by dis segment of de popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Wif 94% of businesses incwuding federaw, state, and wocaw governments cwosing on Christmas, arguabwy de most significant howiday of de Christian rewigion, many stores are awso cwosed on Christmas, but wif a rewativewy smaww exception, uh-hah-hah-hah. For exampwe, convenience stores operating on wess dan 5,000 sqware feet of space such as 7-Eweven and CVS Pharmacy can remain open, uh-hah-hah-hah.[154] A reference in A Christmas Story shows a Chinese restaurant being de onwy estabwishment open on Christmas.

Some private businesses and certain oder institutions are cwosed on Good Friday.[155] The financiaw market and stock market is cwosed on Good Friday.[156] Most retaiw stores remain open awdough some might cwose earwy. Pubwic schoows and most universities are cwosed on Good Friday, eider as a howiday of its own, or part of spring break. The postaw service operates, and banks reguwated by de federaw government do not cwose for Good Friday.[2]

Many companies, incwuding banks, mawws, shopping centers and most private retaiw stores dat normawwy open on Sundays are cwosed on Easter.[10]

Epiphany (from Greek epiphaneia, "manifestation"), fawws on de 12f day after Christmas. It commemorates de manifestation of Jesus Christ to de Gentiwes, as represented by de Magi, de baptism of Jesus, and de miracwe of de wine at de marriage feast at Cana. One of de dree major Christian festivaws, awong wif Christmas and Easter. Epiphany originawwy marked de beginning of de carnivaw season preceding Lent, and de evening preceding it is known as Twewff Night.

St. Vawentine's Day, or simpwy Vawentine's Day is named after one or more earwy Christian martyrs named Saint Vawentine, and was estabwished by Pope Gewasius I in 496 AD. Modern traditionaw cewebration of wove and romance, incwuding de exchange of cards, candy, fwowers, and oder gifts.

A howiday honoring Saint Patrick dat cewebrates Irish cuwture. Primary activity is simpwy de wearing of green cwoding ("wearing o' de green"), awdough drinking beer dyed green is awso popuwar. Big parades in some cities, such as in Chicago, where dere is awso a tradition of dyeing de Chicago River green, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Many Americans decorate hard-boiwed eggs and give baskets of candy, fruit, toys and so on, especiawwy to chiwdren; but gifts of age-appropriate Easter baskets for de ewderwy, de infirm and de needy are increasingwy popuwar. An annuaw Easter Egg Roww has been hewd at de White House Souf Lawn for young chiwdren on Easter Monday since President Hayes started de tradition in 1878.[172] Not a federaw howiday due to de fact dat it awways fawws on a Sunday, which is a non-working day for federaw and state empwoyees. Many companies dat are normawwy open on Sunday cwose for Easter.

Originawwy de end of de Cewtic year, it now cewebrates Eve of Aww Saint's Day. Decorations incwude jack o'wanterns. Costume parties and candy such as candy corn are awso part of de howiday. Kids go "trick-or-treating" to neighbors who give away candy. It is not generawwy observed by businesses, and is one of de most popuwar howidays in de U.S.

Immacuwate Conception is a dogma of de Cadowic Church maintaining dat de Virgin Mary was kept free of originaw sin from her moment of conception, uh-hah-hah-hah. Companies in some states wiww give day off to deir empwoyees.

Rangowi decorations, made using cowored powder, are popuwar during Diwawi.

According to some sources, de Hindu howidays of Diwawi and Howi are commonwy cewebrated as a "mainstream" howiday droughout de United States, not onwy by Indian Americans or peopwes of Indian descent. Many firms dat hire a peopwe from India wiww even go as far as observing de howidays wif a cewebration widin de company or even approving it as a paid day off.[173][174] Howi, de "festivaw of cowors" has inspired a Broadway musicaw based on dis festivaw.[175] New York City Counciw has voted on a resowution dat may make Diwawi and Howi a wegaw howiday in Resowution 1863-2013.[176] As of August 2013, de resowution has passed and de howidays are now officiawwy wegaw howidays in New York City.[177] CNN reported dat de Diwawi howiday is shown in American pop cuwture drough an episode of The Office.[178][179]

Howi (Engwish:/ˈhoʊwiː/) (Sanskrit: होली) is a spring festivaw awso known as Festivaw of Cowors, and sometimes Festivaw of Love.[180][181] It is an ancient Hindu rewigious festivaw which has become popuwar wif non-Hindus in many parts of Souf Asia, as weww as peopwe of oder communities.[182]

Diwawi (Engwish:/dɪˈwɑːwiː/ or Engwish:/dɪˈvɑːwiː/) awso cawwed de Festivaw of wights'", is an ancient Hindu festivaw cewebrated in autumn every year.[183][184] The festivaw spirituawwy signifies de victory of wight over darkness, knowwedge over ignorance, good over eviw, and hope over despair.[168][185][186] The festivaw preparations and rituaws typicawwy extend over a five-day period, but de main festivaw night of Diwawi coincides wif de darkest, new moon night of de Hindu Lunisowar monf Kartik. In de Gregorian cawendar, Diwawi night fawws between mid-October and mid-November.

A seven- or eight-day festivaw in Judaism (seven days in Israew, eight outside of Israew), commemorating de Exodus of de Jews from Egypt. For Karaite Jews, Passover is de howiest day of de year and is de festivaw dat marks de beginning of de year. Some Christian groups cewebrate Passover instead of Easter. In many regions wif warge Jewish communities, schoows cwose for aww or part of Passover. In some regions wif warge Jewish popuwations, schoows may cwose.

Observed by Jewish peopwe. Traditionaw beginning of de Jewish High Howidays. It awso cewebrates de beginning of a new year on de Hebrew cawendar. In regions wif warge Jewish popuwations, schoows and universities may cwose on Rosh Hashanah. It is a widewy accepted custom to dip an appwe in honey on de first night. Unwike oder howidays where de Diaspora (outside of Israew) cewebrate extra days, dis howiday is observed for two days everywhere.

This day marks de end of de Ten Days of Penitence dat began wif Rosh Hashanah. It is described in Leviticus as a "Sabbaf of rest," and synagogue services begin de preceding sundown, resume de fowwowing morning, and continue to sundown, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ordodox and many Conservative Jews fast on Yom Kippur. In regions wif warge Jewish popuwations, schoows and universities may cwose on Yom Kippur.

A nine-day (eight in Israew) howiday cewebrating de huts Jews wived in for forty year after de Exodus before getting to Israew. It awso cewebrates de cwoud of gwory dat protected de Jews in de desert during de same period. Jews eat, and some sweep, in a speciaw hut cawwed a sukkah outside deir home for de first seven days. Awso, de 'four species' or 'Arba Minim', ארבע מינים, de Luwav לולב or Pawm Fran, de Etrog אתרוג or citron, de Aravot ערבות or wiwwow branch, and de Hadasim הדסים, are shaken in de sukkah in de morning, as weww as during prayers. The Sevenf Day, known as Hoshanah Rabbah הושנה רבה is de wast day of de season of repentance started on Rosh Hashanah, and has extra prayers in addition to de extra howiday prayers. The Eighf day is known as Shemini Atzeret שמיני עצרת and is to some degree considered a different howiday. The ninf day (or part of de eighf in Israew) is known as Simchat Torah שמחת תורה and cewebrates he finishing of one cycwe of reading de Torah or bibwe, and incwudes much joyous singing and dancing wif de Torah scrowws during prayers. In many regions wif warge Jewish communities, schoows cwose for aww or part of Passover.

An eight-day Jewish howiday commemorating de rededication of de Second Tempwe in Jerusawem at de time of de Maccabean Revowt of de 2nd century BC. Candewabras are wit, one candwe on de first night and adding one candwe per night. It is awso a widewy accepted custom to spin a top-wike toy cawwed a dreidew, and to give coins to de chiwdren, uh-hah-hah-hah.

A one-day howiday, cewebrated de Jews being saved from a pwot by Haman, de second-in-command to Persian king, Achasverosh, or Xerxes, to exterminate every singwe Jew. It is generawwy cewebrated by reading de Book of Esder in Synagogue de preceding night (which, wike aww Jewish howidays, is actuawwy part of de howiday) and in de morning, giving charity, giving presents of food baskets to at weast two friends, and having a cewebratory feast. Unwike most oder Jewish howidays (oder dan Hannukah), work is awwowed incwuding using ewectricity, and oder prohibited actions on Sabbaf, and oder howidays. The day before (or de Thursday before, if Purim is on a Sunday) is a fast day commemorating de fast of Esder before she met wif King Achashverosh. In Jerusawem, Purim is cewebrated de day after de rest of de worwd.

Eid aw-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر‎‎ ʻĪd aw-Fiṭr, IPA: [ʕiːd aw fitˤr], "festivaw of breaking of de fast"), awso cawwed Feast of Breaking de Fast, de Sugar Feast, Bayram (Bajram), de Sweet Festivaw[202] and de Lesser Eid, is an important rewigious howiday cewebrated by Muswims worwdwide dat marks de end of Ramadan, de Iswamic howy monf of fasting (sawm). The rewigious Eid is a singwe day and Muswims are not permitted to fast on dat day. The howiday cewebrates de concwusion of de 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during de entire monf of Ramadan. The day of Eid, derefore, fawws on de first day of de monf of Shawwaw. This is a day when Muswims around de worwd show a common goaw of unity. The date for de start of any wunar Hijri monf varies based on de observation of new moon by wocaw rewigious audorities, so de exact day of cewebration varies by wocawity. However, in most countries, it is generawwy cewebrated on de same day as Saudi Arabia(wunar cawendar).

Oder rewigious, traditionaw, and informaw howidays cewebrated in de United States[edit]

In addition to de federaw/nationaw howidays, many rewigious, ednic, and oder traditionaw howidays popuwate de cawendar, as weww as observances procwaimed by officiaws and wighter cewebrations. These are rarewy observed by businesses as howidays (Except for Easter and most often awso on Good Friday);[10] indeed, many are viewed as opportunities for commerciaw promotion, uh-hah-hah-hah. Because of dis commerciawization, some critics appwy de deprecatory term Hawwmark howiday to such days, after de Hawwmarkgreeting card company.

A day dat peopwe commonwy pway tricks or jokes on famiwy, friends, and co-workers, especiawwy in Engwish-speaking nations. Sometimes cawwed "de Feast of Aww Foows" as a pway on de feast days of saints; dere is no evidence de howiday has any Christian rewigious origins.

In most oder countries, May 1 is Internationaw Workers' Day, de eqwivawent of Labor Day, which commemorates de wabor movement and de uwtimate triumph of sociawism over capitawism. This deme borrows from de pagan origins of May Day which emphasized de change in season and de triumph of de warm sun over de cowd winter. The howiday is often cewebrated wif parades and protests for workers' rights and oder broad sociaw issues.

Primariwy a cewebration of Mexican cuwture by Mexican-Americans wiving in de United States. Awdough dis is de anniversary of de victory of de Mexican Army over de French at de Battwe of Puebwa in 1862, Cinco de Mayo is far more important in de USA dan in Mexico itsewf, often cewebrated even by non-Mexican-Americans. Additionawwy, dis "howiday" is often mistaken by Americans as being Mexican Independence Day, which is actuawwy observed on September 16.

Traditionawwy de beginning of de Christmas shopping season in de United States. "Bwack Friday" is not a howiday under dat name, but Cawifornia and some oder states observe "The Day After Thanksgiving" as a howiday for state government empwoyees. Virtuawwy aww schoows, cowweges, and universities are awso cwosed, awong wif many non-retaiw private sector businesses. Federaw government offices, post offices and federawwy chartered banks must open on Bwack Friday (unwess de President issues an executive order or procwamation awwowing dem to cwose). It is cawwed "Bwack Friday" because it begins de sawes period when most American retaiwers make deir profits for de year. Contrary to popuwar bewief, Bwack Friday is not de busiest sawes day of de year (dat honor bewongs to Christmas Eve, December 24). Rader, it is de barometer by which retaiwers are abwe to gauge December sawes and wheder dey wiww indeed end de year "in de bwack" (instead of "in de red"). A busy Bwack Friday awmost invariabwy indicates a busy shopping season, whiwe poor sawes on Bwack Friday usuawwy herawd a very swow season, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Finaw Day of de Gregorian year. Usuawwy accompanied by much cewebration, such as party and fireworks. Virtuawwy every company and retaiw outwet cwoses earwy, except for stores dat seww awcohowic beverages and party suppwies.

Bwack Friday (busy shopping day where stores wower prices de Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionawwy de start of de Christmas shopping season)

Cricket Worwd Cup is watched by a qwarter of de worwd's popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Its popuwarity in de United States has made many offices and shops cwose particuwarwy where Indians and Pakistanis work.[207][208]

^Soergew, Andrew (2015). "Vawentine's Day Spending to Approach $19 Biwwion". U.S. News & Worwd Report. Retrieved November 30, 2016. More dan hawf (54.9 percent) of Americans at weast 18 years owd said dey pwan to cewebrate Vawentine's Day dis year, dough de percentage of dose who recognize de howiday drops off after de age of 44, according to a survey conducted by de Nationaw Retaiw Federation, uh-hah-hah-hah.

^Johanson, Mark (2012). "New Years Eve by de Numbers". Internationaw Business Times. Retrieved November 30, 2016. 45: The percent of American aduwts dat say dey wiww make a New Year's resowution, uh-hah-hah-hah.